What to Expect from Kyle Higashioka

The New York Yankees belong to Gary Sanchez so what happens when the Yankees catcher heads to the disabled list with a biceps strain just five games into the season? You suck it up, you plug Austin Romine into the starting job and you call up the forever youthful Kyle Higashioka. By now many of you have heard of Higashioka by now but for those who haven’t here is a short post covering what to expect from the new Yankees backup catcher.

Higashioka is a persevering little bugger, he is. Higashioka was drafted way back in the seventh round of the 2008 MLB First Year Players Draft and until the 2016 season has been constantly overlooked and passed over by the New York Yankees organization. A career minor leaguer Higashioka opened eyes last year adding power to an already impressive defensive and game calling regiment. Higashioka always had Romine and Sanchez ahead of him on the depth charts and always had Luis Torrens ahead of him on the scale of projectability but that all changed in 2016 when Higashioka hit 21 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A earning him a spot on the Yankees 40 man roster.

Higashioka turns 27-years old this month so whether he is just a late bloomer or if his injury history and tweaks to his batting approach are to blame for his emergence remains to be seen but as long as there are Josh Donaldson’s in the world I am not going to be the one to count him out. Even if Higashioka never hits 20 home runs again in a season he more than makes up for that with a strong throwing arm and great defensive and pitch framing skills behind the dish. Even if he hit .220 he could save more runs than he could potentially drive in making him a valuable and underrated player in the clubhouse and on the field.

I have to say I am like a kid in the candy store when I see prospects that I have followed seemingly forever finally make it to the Major Leagues and with Higasioka it’s no different. I’m rooting for you Kyle, make us all proud!

Don't Look Now But It's J-Mont Time!...

Credit:  Chris O'Meara, AP

Whoa, I didn’t think it would happen but Jordan Montgomery has claimed the fifth spot in the starting rotation.  As recent as yesterday, I said I expected the Yankees to go with either Bryan Mitchell (currently on the Major League roster) or Chad Green (currently in the minors) since both pitchers are on the 40-man roster.  Surprisingly, Manager Joe Girardi has announced they’ll call up Jordan Montgomery to make his much anticipated Major League Debut on Wednesday against the Tampa Bay Rays.  

I think it’s a terrific move.  I know that Daniel Burch of The Greedy Pinstripes has long been a believer in Montgomery, but I jumped on the bandwagon during Spring Training after watching him pitch.  I had been a big supporter for Mitchell but the tall young left-hander changed my mind.  I think it is tremendous to add another talented lefty to the rotation to go with CC Sabathia.  Montgomery may not profile as a frontline ace, but he can be a very effective Big League pitcher.  There will be bumps in the road but I think Montgomery can be an important part of the starting rotation when the team returns to contender status in the not-so-distant future.  

No word yet who has lost their spot on the 40-man roster.  You always have to worry about Rob Refsnyder given the lack of love he has been shown by Yankees management (regardless of how you or I feel about Ref).  I think it will probably be one of the lesser known younger pitchers but it’s really anybody’s guess for who will lose the seat at the table.

With Montgomery scheduled to start tomorrow, it pushes everyone else back a day.  Luis Severino will pitch on Thursday.  To make room on the 25-man roster for Montgomery, the Yankees have demoted lefty reliever Chasen Shreve to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.  The decision regarding the 40-man roster, which was not announced, will be made by Wednesday.

Congratulations to Montgomery for his arrival at The Show and best of luck for much success on Wednesday for his Major League (and Yankee Stadium) debut!  Exciting times!  These are the steps that lay the foundation for the next World Series Championship!

It’s been announced that catcher Gary Sanchez will miss four weeks with a Grade 1 Strain of his  right brachialis muscle (behind his bicep).  I think all of us knew that this was going to be longer than a 10-Day DL stint.  A month is a long time, but all things considered, it could have been worse, much worse.  So, I guess we’ll just have delay the Yankees Regulars Reunion Party until May when Sanchez and Didi Gregorius both return.  

I’ve already seen a few articles speculating who the Yankees should acquire for interim catching help.  I think they’ll just go with the in-house candidates like they did for Didi Gregorius.  I would prefer to see a platoon between Austin Romine and Kyle Higashioka rather than just give the job outright to Romine.  I really want to see what Higashioka has in his bat.  He was a late bloomer but I think he can be a better catcher than Romine.  Of the external candidates, the only name that sounds reasonably appealing to me is John Ryan Murphy of the Minnesota Twins.  But despite the good job Murphy did as the Yankees backup catcher a couple of seasons ago, he has had a difficult time staying on the Twins’ MLB roster and is currently at Triple A.  

With Sanchez out of the lineup, it’s critical for someone else to step up.  Could that guy be right fielder Aaron Judge?  Judge homered on Sunday against the Baltimore Orioles and again yesterday on Opening Day against the Tampa Bay Rays.  He has done a good job in reducing strikeouts and maybe now his bat is coming around.  After struggling at each level, he has always overcome the challenges.  Let’s hope this is the start of success for Judge in the Major Leagues, his final frontier.  

Speaking of Opening Day, it was a magical day.  Prior to the game, I had hoped the significance of the day would help bring out the best in Pineda.  It did.  Big Mike pitched exactly the way we know he can.  He took a perfect game into the seventh inning before surrendering a double to Evan Longoria.  He lost the shutout in the eighth, thanks to a Logan Morrison home run.  Those would be the only hits (and run) allowed by Pineda, who went 7 2/3 innings.  He didn’t walk a batter and struck out eleven in one of his most magnificent performances in recent memory.  This is the Big Mike that can take us to the Promised Land.  

For the second day in a row, Aroldis Chapman saw a potential save opportunity evaporate due to multiple late inning runs.  After the top of the eighth inning was completed, the Yankees held a slim 3-1 lead.  It felt like we’d see Chapman in the ninth to try for his first save of the season.  He had even gotten up to throw in the pen but it was not meant to be as the Yankees easily scored five runs in the bottom of the 8th to ice the game.  So, for the ninth inning, Chasen Shreve cleanly delivered three outs with no hits, walks or runs, striking out one.  For his trouble, he received a free all-expenses paid one-way trip to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.  

In addition to Judge’s fourth inning home run off Alex Cobb, Chase Headley and Starlin Castro also homered later in the game.  Matt Holliday had a good Yankee Stadium debut as he was 2-for-4, with a run scored and one ribbie.  Chris Carter, also making his Yankee Stadium debut, tripled to drive in a run during the eighth inning scoring explosion.

It was a GREAT day for the Yankees and their fans from beginning to end.  The day could not have been better scripted.  Well, I wouldn’t object to the erasure of Longoria’s hit or Morrison’s homer, but all things considered, it was a wonderful day in the Bronx neighborhood.  

For a day like yesterday, it’s fun to have a day off today to let the pleasing victory marinate.  Take these good feelings and channel them into the desire for a sensational debut performance tomorrow by New York Yankees starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery!  Wow, that does sound good…

Have a great Tuesday! 

So it Seems Spring Has Sprung

Ladies and gentleman, good morning. Spring has sprung, spring break is over here for my children, the weather is warming up and the grass already needs cut. The Yankees returned home last night for their home opener after limping to a 2-4 start to the season and losing Gary Sanchez but in his place came another glimpse into the future in Kyle Higashioka. Like in life the Yankees will survive and figure it out, they always do. We always will.

So I hope everyone has a great day today. Make it the best Tuesday ever. I love you all, especially you. Hey you. Have a great day. 

This Day in New York Yankees History 4/11: Bob Sheppard Takes a Vacation Day

On this day in 2006 Bob Sheppard misses his first Yankee Stadium home opener since 1951 due to a hip injury he suffered the day before at his home. The injury wouldn't keep Sheppard out long as Bob was back for the next Yankees home stand behind the microphone.


Also on this day in 1954 the New York Yankees traded two minor league players with right handed pitcher Mel Wright to the St. Louis Cardinals for 38 year old right fielder Enos Slaughter. While Slaughter would head to the Hall of Fame when his playing career was done he would only hit .239 in 79 games for the Yankees. Bill Virdon, one of the prospects in the deal, would win the Rookie of the Year Award in St. Louis in 1956.

Pineda Nearly Perfect in Yankee Stadium Opening Day Blowout

On a perfect 76° afternoon in the Bronx; the highest opening day temperature in New York in 58 years, Michael Pineda led the New York Yankees to a Yankee Stadium Opening Day victory against the Tampa Bay Rays. Pineda was excellent today as he carried a perfect game through 6.2 innings this afternoon. The starter for Tampa, Alex Cobb, also pitched really well today, but was no match for the dominant Pineda on a near-perfect day in the Big Apple.

While both starters cruised through the first two frames with a combined seven strikeouts between them, the Yankees opened up the scoring in the bottom of the third. With one out, Brett Gardner struck out on a wild pitch by Cobb but reached first base as the catcher failed to retrieve the ball in time to record the put out at first. And that error immediately came back to haunt Cobb as he then served up a line drive double to right-center field by Jacoby Ellsbury that scored Gardner from first to give the Yankees a one run lead.

The Bombers went on to use the longball to widen their lead in the middle innings. In the bottom of the fourth, Aaron Judge blasted a solo shot into the seats in left to make it a 2-0 ballgame. The long homer was Judge's second in as many days, and this one may have been even more so satisfying   because he did it in front of his parents in his first Yankees home opener. And then in the bottom of the seventh, Chase Headley led off the frame with a line drive solo blast that made it into the first row of seats in right field to extend their lead out to three.

If you have followed my blogs, you probably know that I have been extremely critical of Michael Pineda over the last two seasons. And I can say today that I have been waiting for this type of pitching performance out of Pineda since they made the trade with Seattle to acquire him. He was absolutely phenomenal all game long, beginning nearly every at bat with a strike. His career-long bugaboo has been the inability to excel in two-strike counts and finish the job with strike three. Today, Pineda fanned 11 Rays in his 7.2 brilliant innings of work. After giving up a solo homerun to Logan Morrison in the top of the eighth, Pineda was taken out for Tyler Clippard and headed towards the dugout to a much-deserved thunderous standing ovation. It was just awesome.

As if the Pineda performance wasn't enough, several Rays errors and the Yankees bats blew the game wide open in the eighth to send Yankee fans home happy. Brett Gardner started the frame by reaching on a fielding error by second baseman Brad Miller, stealing second during Jacoby Ellsbury's at bat and then swiping third during Matt Holliday's at bat. Holliday doubled to drive Gardner in while simultaneously knocking Cobb out of the game. Austin Pruitt came on in relief and immediately coughed up a triple to the not-so-fleet-of-foot Chris Carter, scoring Holliday to make it 5-1. Starlin Castro got in on the scoring action by smacking his first homer of the season to centerfield, opening it up to a six run lead. Chase Headley reached with a single, advancing to second on a "hometown scoring" infield single by Judge that should have been called an error on first baseman Logan Morrison. Austin Romine then hit a comebacker to Austin Pruitt, who in turn bobbled the ball several times which allowed all three runners to be safe. The final run of the game was scored when Ronald Torreyes hit a grounder to third, scoring Headley to make it a 8-1 final score.

This was the most fun I've had watching Yankee baseball in a very long time. Let's hope they can keep this momentum going as they head into game two with Tampa Bay on Wednesday, with first pitch scheduled for 1:05 PM/EST.

Formula works: Fall behind, and then take the lead…

After two days of taking leads, only to see the Orioles come back to win both games, the Yankees borrowed a page from the Buck Showalter Playbook on Sunday.  They let the O’s jump out to the early lead and then they were the ones who made up the difference to depart Baltimore with a win.  

CC Sabathia certainly didn’t have his best stuff but he did just enough to keep the Yankees in the game.  Even though it seemed like CC was consistently on the ropes, he went six innings, giving up six hits and three runs (two earned).  He walked four while striking out three.  It qualified as a quality start and it was.  Even though CC departed the game with the Yankees trailing 3-2, the game could have gotten away from him but he didn’t allow it.  On the other side, hits were rare against Orioles starter Wade Miley.  He only gave up one hit in five innings, but he walked a high number of batters.  Despite the seven free passes Miley issued, the Yankees couldn’t cash in.  

Ultimately, it didn’t matter for the Yankees as they pounced on the O’s bullpen.  The key hits were the triple by Ronald Torreyes in the top of the sixth, scoring two runs, against reliever Tyler Wilson; the eighth inning home run by Aaron Judge which tied the game; and Starlin Castro’s ninth inning single to center which scored pinch-runner Jacoby Ellsbury with the go-ahead run.  They added three more runs to pad the lead.  For closer Aroldis Chapman it was one run too many as it removed the save opportunity, but Chapman and his 100 mph fastball were still able to make mince meat out of the O’s for three quick outs.  

The best game stat was DH Matt Holliday’s 0-for-0, with five walks.  The last two Yankees with five walks in a game were Mark Teixeira (2009) and Roger Maris (1962).  The fifth walk led to the insertion of Ellsbury to pinch run, which resulted in the aforementioned go-ahead run.   

Credit:  Patrick Smith, Getty Images

The catch of Aaron Judge’s home run ball in the outfield bleachers by a Yankees fan was also a game highlight.  

The Yankees bullpen was outstanding.  With Tyler Clippard, Dellin Betances, and Chapman each working one inning, they collectively did not allow a walk, hit or run and struck out five.  It was a dominating performance that brought back memories of last year’s No Runs DMC.  Clippard is no Andrew Miller but he certainly did his part.  

It’s always nice to get a win on Getaway Day.  I am sure the Yankees’ flight to New York City was much better last night than if they had returned amidst a losing streak.  It will make for a better mood today during Opening Day at Yankee Stadium. 

Last week, the Yankees had an unusual day off in the middle of their three game series with the Rays in St Petersburg, FL, and it happens again this week. After today’s game, tomorrow is on off day and the series will resume on Wednesday.  Unless you want to hang out at the beach, there are probably more things to do in New York City on a day off than Tampa/St Petersburg. After the series ends on Thursday evening, the Yankees stay home to await the St Louis Cardinals while the Rays have to take a short hop to Boston.  Following no-play Tuesday, the Yankees won’t see a day off again until April 20th.  This does mean that we’ll soon have the announcement of the fifth starter.  As much as I would love to see Jordan Montgomery get the honor, the realist in me recognizes that Bryan Mitchell represents the most likely choice.  If not Mitchell, then Chad Green with a reliever being moved down to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.  Either of those moves do not require any action with the 40-man roster, whereas the Yankees would have to open a spot for Montgomery.  Montgomery’s time is coming, it just won’t be April 16th.

Michael Pineda’s first start was disappointing but he’ll nonetheless get the honor of starting today for Opening Day at Yankee Stadium.  He hasn’t really done anything to deserve the honor but hopefully it will encourage the best possible performance out of him.  If the Yankees can win two of three from the Rays, they’ll be in a much better place than they were just this past Saturday when they stood with a 1-4 mark.  

Congrats to Matt Holliday as he’ll be pulling on the pinstripes in the Bronx for the first time today.  

Unlock the doors at The Stadium…the Yankees are home!  Time to go get another win!

Have a great Monday!

This Day in New York Yankees History 4/10: Dave Eiland Hits a Home Run

On this day in 1992 Dave Eiland hit a home run in his first major league at bat. Eiland came through the New York Yankees system and also allowed a home run to first batter he faces in his career when he gave up a homer to the Brewers Paul Molitor. Eiland hit the home run in the National League in his first year with the San Diego Padres after coming over from the Yankees.

Yanks Win Walkfest, Avoid Sweep In 7-3 Comeback Win

On another beautiful day in Baltimore, the Yankees avoided the sweep by the Baltimore Orioles in route to their second victory of the season. C.C. Sabathia took the ball for New York this afternoon in attempts of stopping their recent three-game losing streak. Sabathia has had success against these Orioles, going 19–10 in his career against Baltimore but was 1–3 against them a season ago. Taking the mound for the Orioles today was left-hander Wade Miley; who has really struggled since joining the O's at last year's trade deadline, going 2-5 with a 6.17 ERA over that stretch. Today's game really depicted how walks can really hurt you as a pitcher, which was a story told on both sides all day long.

Free passes were handed out like All-Star voting ballots by both starters throughout the first couple of innings. Wade Miley walked FOUR batters during his first trip through the lineup, including walking the bases loaded in the top of the second. But, Miley got an impatient Ronald Torreyes to strike out to end the bases-loaded threat and the inning. Sabathia, on the other hand, did not fare so well. The lefty walked Mark Trumbo to begin the second, advancing to third on a soft opposite-field single by Chris Davis. The next batter rookie Trey Mancini hit a ground ball to first base where Chris Carter recorded the out at second, allowing Trumbo to score to put the Orioles up 1-0. Sabathia then issued another walk, this time to Jonathan Schoop, which moved Mancini up to second base. And that walk came back to bite C.C. as he served up a single to J.J. Hardy that scored Mancini to open the O's lead up to two.

The Orioles kept the offensive pressure on, adding to their lead in the bottom of the fifth. Adam Jones started the inning by lining a single off of Sabathia's leg, advancing to second on a passed ball during Manny Machado's at bat. Trumbo then stepped up to the plate and drove Jones in with a sharp single to left, extending their lead to 3-0.

Although he walked seven batters during his start, Miley was unscored upon and was lifted to begin the top of the sixth; and that's where the Yankees finally started to get their bats going. Right-handed youngster Tyler Wilson took over for Miley and immediately got two quick outs to begin the frame. Aaron Judge started the rally with a two-out base hit to left, advancing to second when the next batter Austin Romine singled to center. The New York Yankees' RBI leader Ronald Torreyes stepped up and came through in a massive way; smoking a triple into the right-center field gap, plating both runners to shrink their deficit to just one. Unfortunately, Brett Gardner left that tying run stranded on third base by striking out to end the sixth.

Sabathia did something today that no other Yankee starter has been able to achieve so far in 2017: make it through six innings. And if C.C. would have been able to field the comebacker cleanly and throw Jones out at first, Torreyes' triple would have been good enough to tie the game. But, it didn't play out that way and he left with a final line of six innings pitched, allowing three runs on six hits while walking four and striking out three.

The Bombers completed their comeback by tying the game in the top of the eighth. All-Star right-hander Michael Givins came on in relief of Wilson and coughed up a majestic solo blast to Aaron Judge that cleared the wall in left to pull the Yankees even at three apiece. And I got to tell you, it was so nice to see the tables turned completely and watch the Yankees come back and spoil the Orioles lead for a welcomed change.

As previously stated, the "Walkfest" continued and was a major contributing factor as to the Yankees taking a late-inning lead for the first time in this series. Darren O'Day came on to pitch the ninth and started the frame by walking Matt Holliday for his career-high fifth walk of the game. Jacoby Ellsbury came on to pinch run for Holliday and had an immediate impact by swiping second on the second pitch of Chris Carter's at bat. Carter was also walked and subsequently was pinch ran for by Pete Kozma. Starlin Castro then ripped a single up the middle that scored Ellsbury to put the Pinstripers up by one. Chase Headley also walked, loading the bases with Kozma at third and Castro at second. Aaron Judge grounded out to first base which scored Kozma to make it a two run game. And when Romine followed with a sacrifice fly to score Castro, the throw got away to also allow Headley to score to make it a 7-3 ballgame. Even though it wasn't a save situation, Aroldis Chapman came on to shut the door in the ninth and secure the Yankees' second victory of the young season.

The Bombers travel home for the first time in 2017 tonight to get ready for tomorrow's much-anticipated home opener against the Tampa Bay Rays. With it being Opening Day at Yankee Stadium, the game is scheduled to begin at a special Monday start time of 1:05 PM/EST.

Game of Moans...

Credit:  Patrick McDermott, USA TODAY Sports

I am not sure what’s worse.  Losing yet another game that we should have won to the Baltimore Orioles or losing perhaps the Team’s MVP, Gary Sanchez, to a biceps strain.  Most likely, it’s the latter.  Even though Sanchez is on the 10-day DL, he’ll need more time to recover considering this is his throwing arm.  After the team’s struggles out of the gate, the timing for the injury could not have been worse.

The Yankees called up Kyle Higashioka to replace Sanchez and back up interim starter Austin Romine.  This is a tough loss considering that the Yankees are already playing with a utility player at short.  

Where is the offense going to come from for a team that can’t make its pitches?  Hopefully this question answers itself very quickly.

The Yankees should have won yesterday’s game.  But again, they let Manny Machado and Company take the game.  This time the hero was Hyun Soo Kim with a single in the bottom of the 7th to drive in Mark Trumbo with the go-ahead and eventual winning run.

With a LOOGY and the thought that you ‘have just one job’, lefty Tommy Layne failed by allowing a double to Chris Davis, the only batter he faced.  The Yankees then brought in Dellin Betances.  I didn’t feel good about the situation (Betances and base runners are never a good thing).  He promptly gave up a single to Mark Trumbo to score Davis, tying the game.  He would subsequently allow the game-winning hit by Kim.

If the Yankees team goal is to prevent the Boston Red Sox from winning the AL East, five games into the new season, they’re winning by allowing the Orioles to remain undefeated.  

CC Sabathia takes the mound today.  As the owner of the only quality start so far this season, Sabathia will now take the added role of the hopeful stopper as a victory is sorely needed.  

The Yankees were also missing Greg Bird yesterday after his foot swelled during Friday night’s loss.  Bird had fouled a pitch off his foot during a March 30th exhibition game and hasn’t fully recovered from it yet.  He’ll miss today’s game too.  Chris Carter didn’t exactly instill confidence as the first base replacement (he was 0-for-5, with 2 strikeouts, leaving 5 men on base).  

Orioles manager Buck Showalter must be loving this.  He’s the bully who keeps taking candy from a baby with these consecutive losses that should have been wins.  You know that he must get more satisfaction out of beating the Yankees than any other AL East team.  

Even though the Yankees are 1-4, they can turn this around quickly with a win today and subsequently taking their first series of the year when the Tampa Bay Rays come to New York on Monday.  But they’ll need timely hits and some quality pitches.  

Saturday’s game represented a milestone for Matt Holliday as he collected his 2,000th career hit (a first inning single off Baltimore’s Kevin Gausman).  Considering that he had 1,995 hits coming into the season, there were only 5 Yankee hits mixed in but he did do it as Yankee (even if he has not yet stepped on Yankee Stadium turf wearing pinstripes).  He is the 7th active Major Leaguer to reach the milestone and the 20th player to collect his 2,000th hit while playing for the Yankees.  

Yesterday was a day for losses as it was announced that former Yankees part-time left fielder/pinch hitter Bob Cerv had passed away on Thursday at age 91.  Cerv’s greatest year came in 1958 with the Kansas City A’s when he hit 38 home runs and drove in 104 runs.  By 1961, he was back in New York and shared a Queens apartment that year with the M&M Boys, Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris, during their historic home run battle.  Rest in peace.  God, it's your Cerv...  

This Day in New York Yankees History 4/9: Joe Torre Re-Signs w/ Yankees

On this day in 2004 the New York Yankees and manager Joe Torre agreed on a new three year deal, a three year pact that would be his last in Yankees pinstripes. The deal also included an additional six year deal in which the 62 year old manager would become a team adviser through the 2013 season.


Also on this day in 1965 the Houston Astros opened the first domed stadium when they hosted the New York Yankees at the Astrodome. During the opening ceremonies 24 astronauts threw 24 ceremonial first pitches in the "Eight Wonder of the World" as the Colt .45's became the Astros.



Finally on this day in 1963 Yogi Berra made an appearance on the television soap opera General Hospital as Dr. Lawrence Berra, a brain surgeon. Yogi did this as a favor to former Indians infielder Johnny Berardino, now known as Johnny Beradino who played Dr. Steve Hardy on the soap.